Early Origins of Tombstone, Arizona

Tombstone, Arizona was first established as a mining town. The town's first inhabitant was an eager prospector named Ed Shieffelin, who established the legendary town from a mining camp called Camp Huachuca in the foothills. Shieffelin was taking in the breathtaking views of the mountains and region, and remarked to a cavalry solider about the promise the area held for gold and riches. The soldier quickly warned him about the area being the hunting grounds of the Apaches, and that “All he will find in those hills is your own tombstone.”

Shieffelin was determined to reach prosperity and, in 1878, he set out alone into the surrounding hills to claim his fortune. After two nights hiding and searching the region occupied by a small group of Apaches, he spied a silver vein on a ledge high above his secure hiding spot. He cautiously climbed up to the ledge and pried the first small sliver of silver out of a vein that measured about 50 feet and was 12 inches wide. Remembering the soldier's word, he decided to name his mine, “Tombstone.”

Ed quickly began to scout the region, and set up a second mine marker that he called “Graveyard.” He worked the claims for several weeks before riding to Tucson with his new riches and gathering supplies for his journey back to his claims. Upon his return to the sites, he discovered two more veins of rich silver ore, and returned to Tuscon with his prize. Word quickly spread like wildfire, and the region was filled with prospectors in the coming months. Soon, a mining camp had to be established to support the new mines in the area. The group decided to call the community Tombstone. Tombstone officially became a fixture in Arizona on December 2, 1878, when the US Postal Service established a postal store in the small town. The town was established and lots sold for 5 dollars each to begin building a town out of the mining community.